Our McHenry, IL Dentists are Experts on Reversing Tongue Tie (Ankyloglossia)

At Bull Valley Dentistry, we offer a full range of pediatric dental services for the people of McHenry. One of our specialties is correcting Ankyloglossia, or tongue-tie, in infants. This condition, as serious as its consequences can be, is easily corrected with a simple in-office procedure that takes only seconds to perform. Dr. John Dano is a leading specialist on ankyloglossia, with more than 25 years of experience in pediatric dentistry.

What is Ankyloglossia?

Tongue-tie is a condition that is present at birth and more common in boys than girls. This physiological condition is characterized by a short, tight band of tissue between the underside of the baby’s tongue and the floor of the mouth. Normally, the tongue is loosely attached to the floor of the mouth; this loose connection gives the tongue a full range of motion, which is important for infants to eat and for proper speech development. Ankyloglossia makes it difficult for babies to move their tongues or latch onto their mother’s breast, hindering their ability to feed or learn to speak properly.

How Can I Know if My Baby is Tongue-Tied?

While some tongue-tied babies can breastfeed without difficulty, others have trouble latching on, don’t get enough milk, and can sometimes cause pain for the mother during nursing. Tongue-tied babies will have trouble sticking out their tongue and touching the roof of their mouth with their tongue. Often tongue-tied babies’ tongues will curl up on the edges when they cry. Some cases of ankyloglossia are cut-and-dry, while others are not easy to diagnose. If you suspect the condition but aren’t quite sure, please contact Dr. John Dano for a consultation; it is important to consult with your McHenry dentist as soon as possible if you see the signs of ankyloglossia, in order to remedy it quickly.

Trust the Experts in Ankyloglossia Correction for your Baby

Bull Valley Dentistry offers treatment for ankyloglossia. Dr. John Dano will diagnose the condition quickly and schedule a simple, quick procedure that is virtually pain-free. Recovery time for Ankyloglossia correction is relatively short, and your baby will be feeding normally before you know it. If you're concerned about your baby's feeding or speech development and think they may have tongue-tie, please contact our McHenry dental specialists to schedule an appointment today.

For more information on Tongue Tie - View helpful links below.

View Stretching Examples for after Infant Tongue Tie Release by visiting the After Care page by Dr. Ghaheri

For helpful information on the, "Best diaper changing technique for newborns to reduce colic", watch this video by Doc John Edwards, DC

For more useful information for nursing moms visit the Stanford Medicine Newborn Medicine page